Fontaine, Palais Mermonia.
In a rather spacious office, yet cluttered with all sorts of documents, a handsome man leaned back in his chair, reading today's newspaper with interest.
After a while, he heard hurried footsteps approaching from outside and gently shook his head.
"A certain Blue Cupcake is coming to demand an explanation again~"
No sooner had the man finished speaking than the door to his office was pushed open with a "boom," and an exquisite, white-haired, Heterochromatic Girl stormed in front of him.
Bang—
The girl slammed her hands onto the table and asked, somewhat displeased, "Yuto! Why did you remove the bill I proposed earlier?!"
Yuto heard this, smiled, and shook his head. He unhurriedly put down the newspaper in his hand and said gently,
"Furina, there's no need to be so tense. As a Regent of Fontaine, your interests are as important as Fontaine's interests."
"I merely removed the bill about 'no flying objects during specific times.'"
"It's been over four hundred years; when have I ever removed a bill that was truly beneficial to you? Like... 'pets cannot be named Furina,' for example?"
Yuto interlaced his fingers under his chin, smiling as he looked at Furina, who seemed somewhat displeased but also as if she was here to ask for something.
"You...!"
Furina originally wanted to say something more, but looking at Yuto's smiling face and recalling what he had just said... it seemed he was right.
But who was Furina? The Hydro Archon of Fontaine! This act of removing a bill made her feel... she had lost face.
Moreover... if she were to admit her mistake just like that, wouldn't her original plan to use this as an excuse to demand Yuto's special cupcakes be ruined?!
Thinking of this, Furina closed her eyes, lifted her small head, and said indignantly,
"I don't care! You made me lose face, so today... today you have to make me an extra cupcake!"
Hearing this predictable "bargaining chip," Yuto gently nodded.
"Alright, alright~ I'll add an extra one tonight, consider it compensation for my transgression~"
Upon hearing Yuto agree to her request, the indignant expression on Furina's face instantly vanished, replaced by a somewhat tsundere little expression.
"Hmph ╭(╯^╰)╮, this is a punishment you deserve for offending a deity! It's not compensation!"
"Yes, yes, yes, it's a punishment, not compensation~"
Yuto smiled and shook his head at the girl in front of him, who was clearly happy about the extra cupcake but still felt the need to maintain her divine demeanor. He didn't say anything further.
Hearing Yuto compromise once again, Furina immediately turned around and left Yuto's office, satisfied.
However, just as Furina was about to step out of the office door, her light footsteps suddenly stopped, and she said,
"Do you really have to see that woman today?"
Yuto put down the newspaper in his hand and gently nodded at the girl, who seemed to have an innate fear of The Knave.
"Of course, I have to go. We cannot allow the House of the Hearth to continue adopting orphans."
"Furina, you should be very clear about what she wants to do."
Hearing Yuto's words, Furina lowered her head slightly, falling into silence.
After a while, the girl looked up again, gazing at Yuto, who was seated calmly at his desk with a gentle expression, and softly said,
"Tha... thank you."
After dropping that sentence, Furina ran off like a flash, leaving Yuto alone in the office with a somewhat helpless expression.
"Sigh... it's just like the original story. Furina has been a bit afraid of Arlecchino ever since their first meeting."
Yuto said this as he slowly stood up and walked to a nearby dressing mirror to tidy his clothes and hairstyle.
Looking at the exquisite-faced, tall, blue-haired man in the mirror, Yuto suddenly felt a surge of emotion.
"Four hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye..."
Yuto gently shook his head, reminiscing about his past four hundred years while choosing which tie to wear today.
As just mentioned, he was a genuine transmigrator, a transmigrator with no special traits... except for immortality.
With his remarkably handsome appearance and a Keyboard Politician's unique sensitivity to politics, he smoothly entered the sight of Furina, who was then still troubled by various official documents.
Of course, this was also related to the cupcakes that only he, Yuto, knew how to make in all of Fontaine.
Relying on his unique abilities and superb document-handling skills, Yuto quickly gained Furina's trust and ascended to the position of Fontaine Vice-Minister.
Thus, Yuto, like the Hydro Dragon Sovereign, became Furina's right-hand man.
No.
Rather than saying he and Neuvillette were Furina's right-hand men... it would be more accurate to say they were the guardians of this Blue Cupcake.
Unlike the stern Chief Justice, Yuto was beloved by the people of Fontaine due to his unique charisma.
This naturally made him the spokesperson for Palais Mermonia.
This role also carried many responsibilities, such as... liaising with envoys from the other Six Nations and conducting investigative visits.
And today, Yuto was going to meet the director of the House of the Hearth, the Fourth Seat Executive, The Knave Arlecchino—an organization nominally an orphanage but actually training elite soldiers for the Fatui.
Of course, this task was originally supposed to be led by Furina, with Yuto as an accompanying member, but considering Furina's fear of Arlecchino... Yuto ultimately decided to go himself.
And this was not only Yuto's mission, but also... the mission of the Golden Finger that arrived four hundred years late.
Thinking of this, Yuto tied his necktie while looking at the panel that only he could see, and couldn't help but sigh.
"Name: Yuto"
"Gender: Male"
"Identity: Fontaine Vice-Minister"
"Current Popularity: Zero"
"Current Mission Objective: Complete a conversation with The Knave Arlecchino"
"Time until next live global broadcast: 12h"
"It's quite perplexing. It's one thing for the Golden Finger to be late, but there are so many inexplicable terms. Is it really here to guide me?"
Yuto muttered to himself, shaking his head. After tidying his tie slightly, he walked out.
"What exactly is going on... I'll only be able to conclude after I've spoken with Arlecchino."
Thinking of this, Yuto gently shook his head and quickly walked out of the office.